Editorial Voice

Letters from the issue of September 23, 2010

This week’s feature, “Marked for Death”, is the story of Jonathan “Ynot” Corso, the prolific graffiti artist who died after being run over by an Escalade in a brawl in the parking lot of a Davie strip club. But Ynot’s death was just one of dozens of violent incidents at…

This week’s feature, “Marked for Death,” is the story of Jonathan “Ynot” Corso — one of the most prolific members of Miami’s longest-running graffiti crew, MSG, recently killed in a fight in a strip club parking lot. We tried to write the story in the language of Ynot and his…

The McRackins Oddities & Eggcentricities Vol. 1 (Stiff Pole Records) www.stiffpolerecords.com In honor of Richard “Big Stiff” Konwinski, who passed away this July in Tampa, I’ll be bouncing between the County Grind and Crossfade blogs doing my “Blast From the Past” thing on the record label that he founded, Stiff…

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke says the Miami Hurricanes starting quarterback needs a talking-to from his high school quarterbacks coach.Jacory Harris should be…

On a day when he wasn’t trying to figure out which one of his Coconut Grove houses he lives in, Miami city Commissioner Marc Sarnoff decided to show his adoration for the Miami Heat’s billionaire owner. During the Miami community redevelopment agency’s public hearing yesterday, the city commission was considering…

Miami seems like the perfect location for a spin-off of the Reality TV behemoth Real Housewives franchise that Bravo has unleashed on the world. Though, when The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premiers next month there will be six distinct Housewives series, so we have to wonder if Bravo even…

With your anemic attention span fed on endless helpings of Adult Swim, Count Chocula, and hot chronic, maybe a night of partying alongside Brooklyn rap punks Ninjasonik doesn’t sound all that exciting. Well, bro, you need to get off that jaded hipster ish because these three cross-genre scientists are the…

UPDATE: Miami Lakes Town Attorney Mitchell Bierman, a partner with the law firm Weiss, Serota et al. informs Banana Republican that Florida law allows elected officials to seek reimbursement for legal expenses incurred fighting ethics charges that are eventually dismissed. He also provided us with town legislation that allows Miami…

I don’t entirely understand what the whole “flinging” aspect is that these four sweaty and most certainly not “boy band” material dudes are aiming for, but I’m hip and I’m kinda with it so I think I have an inkling of intention here. This is technically proficient metal with nuances…

A lot of Miami’s more prominent rappers usually represent neighborhoods north and even way-north of Flagler street, but the southern end of the county has rarely had much talent make it to the forefront of the local hip-hop scene. Here to change all of that is a Goulds-based rapper by…

First, the good news: The number of chronically hungry people in the world has dropped for the first time in 15 years, according to “The State of Food Insecurity in the World” report that will be jointly released by the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)…

Venus and Serena Williams suffer racism

Letters from the issue of September 16, 2010

​Let’s face it: Miami sucks when it comes to music blogs. Places like New York, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle all have better online music presence. That’s not to say there aren’t people out there trying. We already crowned Off the Radar the city’s best music blog, while…

Bumped out of the spotlight, local icon King Mango and hip hop superstar Will.I.Am have resorted to shamelessly donning blackface in order to resurrect their flagging careers.Critics say the move has set African-Americans and mangos back “1,000 years.” “Will.i.am. wearing blackface!? What a racist!” tweeted fakeart123 during the MTV Video…

With all the years that I have spent disseminating the myth of myself as some staunch, drunken rock and roller, I have never forgotten my roots under warm Venezuelan skies, swagging and jiving my wares to the syncopated rhythms of Latin music. That’s right, I, Abel Folgar, rock and roller…

Wilfredo FerrerUnited States Attorney, Southern District of Florida99 NE Fourth St., Miami, FL 33132Dear Mr. Ferrer,Banana Republican commends you for cracking down on the scoundrels responsible for the rampant mortgage fraud plaguing South Florida. With that in mind, we want to bring a related case to your immediate attention. We…

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke says the Williams sisters don’t get their due.Venus and Serena Williams represent black people and female athletes in…

​Another day, another Rick Ross track. No one can ever say Miami’s biggest stars right now aren’t prolific; Ricky Rozay and Pitbull keep us bloated in blog posts.Continuing signs of Ross’ domination (and the apocalypse) keep rolling in. Check, for instance, that weird moment during Sunday’s VMAs broadcast in which…

Miami New Times cleaned up in the nondaily division of the 60th Annual Green Eyeshade Awards, which determine the best work in 11 Southeastern states. Former staff writer Natalie O’Neill took first place in investigative reporting for “Piece of Mind,” a probe of suicides and other problems at the mental health…

The Miami Herald reports this morning that the North Miami Beach City Council fired City Manager Kelvin Baker last night. Although no specifics were given, Banana Republican wonders if his termination had anything to do with Baker accusing some city council members of violating the state’s Sunshine Law.This past August 31,…